The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-02-16
JUDGE LYNCH.

BAR for many years, and knew personally and
officially nearly all the judges of the state and
of the federal courts, had never made the
acquaintance of that perambulating tribunal
presided over by Justice Lynch until went
To reside for a few months in a neighboring
state, where ruinor has it that Judge Lynch
made his debut.
The meeting came about this way. There
hal been a long and expensive Judicial season
at X; AMI Mallory Jock, the criminal law
yer, had saved another victim from the
sword Of Justice. The name of the sinner
who was snatched from the hands of the
hangman Black Bill Bill was exceed
ingly handy with his pistol, and on this occa-
sion had shot and killed the conductor Of a
street car because he persisted in trying to
collect the car fare. As both lawyer and eli
ent were notorious, the trial brought the
whole population to the court house to wit
ness the illegal contest. and, as usual, the bar
came out victorious. Bill had mistaken the
conductors ticket punch for pistol, the Off
cial for a robber, and hal shot the latter in
self defense; besides forcing the judge to
charge that IL the defendant really mstook
the bell punch for pistol, pointed in a men
acing and dangerous manner, they were
bound, in fact, to treat 1t as though it was .
veritable revolver, with 33-caliber shot in it,
and not an innocent recording bell punch.
down Main street, the admired center of all
gazers. This was the farce. The tragedy
came about in this way.
As may be anticipated, Bill was very much
elated over his escape, especially as it hap
pened to- be his third trial for murder and he
rather superstitious about the figure
three. He celebrated it in roaring spree,
which lasted week and kept that part Of the
town in an uproar. There was drinking, sing
ing and lighting in harmonious and constant
succession, as though Bill was going to intro
duce the famous Bacchic revels and life was
to be an orgy of drinking and hsticuH IL
was about the third day of the feast when the
barkeeper, in u thoughtful moment. demanded
payment of the score, in default Of which he
proposed to tumble the gang" into the
street.
Bill whose life had just been saved at an
expense to the state Of a thousand dollars.
was naturally indignant, and in the absence
of his pistol no knocked the thoughtful bar
keeper down with beer glass Then the
fight commenced between the proprietor and
his men and Bill and the gang" and the
battle ragged AMI surged from the bar room
TO the kitchen, and from the kitchen to the
street, each new conner lending a hand or
stone Finally the town marshal came rush
ing into the crowd, and knocked the Draw
lers with his club right and left and unfor-
tunately Bill among the rest. The latter
sneaked quietly across the street. came
back with shotgun, poured the contents OF
both barrels into the back of the fighting
marshal and killed him on the spot. This
was the climax. The brawl ceased sudden
ly as il had arisen-the fighters skunk back
from Bill In disgust and even he turned his
bloodshot eyes anxiously down at the now
quiet marshal Then he placed the gun In a
md tybi ~ .rl
he walked out into the street and after a mo-
ments pause skunk rapidly away under the
shadows of the houses and the trees.
He had not walked a dozen squares before
he perceived that there was something the
matter with either the people or the town.
Men ran ahead of him, others followed and
dogged his footsteps, and doors were banged
as he passed. Harkl the fire bell was ring
ing, and the whistle of the ferryboat awoke
the echoes on the river. The stream Of lights
in the distance was not made up Of fire flies,
but OF men and boys carrying lanterns and
armed with clubs and shotguns. He tried
several doors on the way, we'll known places
of refuge, but they were closed, and no CLINT
of light from the windows.
Then came the tramp, tramp of marching
men, and in darting around the corner he
found himself instantly surrounded with a
mob, who ordered him brutality to stand and
hold up his hands, Bill smiled as he recoQ-
nized the voice, and lazily complied with the
order; then he scanned the crowd eagerly,
but they were masked and the only plain,
unmstakable thing WAS the revolver which
CLEANED at him from all directions The
leader, in his red shirt, slouched hat, panta-
looms stuffed in his boots, and under his arm
u long, black barreled rifle stood ewing him
in silencs
Hello. Long JIM" said Bill animated
with IA sudden CLEAN OF hope, you'll give "A
fellow chance for his life, won't you, Jimg"
What" replied the leader, contemptuous-
~. III don't know yer. This amt no rabbit
hunting party-this is Judge Lynchi There
has been killing enough in this town-therell
he another, and then the thing will stop
Fold your arms-right about face march,"
YES this was Judge Lynch--court, jury and
executinner. all in one.
When the itinerant court passed my door l
was smoking an evening cigar, and having
hearl the alarm bell was searching the hori-
zon for the sign of fire, which nowhere could
be seen The moon was out, and but for the
fiymg procession of clouds that continually
Studded in front, the town of Y was fairly lit
up with the white, silent light was still
wondering II the clouds meant rain or snow,
vS,en the odd AMI fantastic judicial process
sion marched silently by No funeral party
was krdNcr, ni2tfte less noise or marched with
more decorum. There was only one excep-
ton ~ the general good behavior and that
WAS the impression of the bystanders. Every
locker on was Immediately pressed" into the
crowd. Not one was allowed to look and de-
part, but In WAS forced To assist in the cere-
mony. | was in the doorway when fellow
hideously drap.l ami Disguised laid hold
upon me. and pointing with his revolver to
the mob toll me IL "fall in"
"Why, certainly" ami marched with the
rest.
As there very little talking there was
abundant opportunity for reflection, and yet
probably tEr only one who doing any
systematic thinking, was the within Bill, as he
turned hrs hrad from right 10 left, vanly
searching tor some sign Of succor.
For mv>t.lf, NO sooner guessed the object
or rather purpostA-of the Judicial train
than my curiosity overrude and silenced all
legal Scrupl,~S 10 the enterprise. Besides,
cnnSnlet myself with the thought that as all